I've posted a similar comment in the thread on consent to cookies but I think this merits its own thread.
There is a browser/search engine called DuckDuckGo which has built-in privacy features. I've been using this for some time and it's illuminating what it blocks (when you do a search it shows you which sites it has stopped from trying to track your activities). I can browse MN with almost no adverts (they usually appear as just a blank space which you can scroll straight past).
Just wanted to flag in case anyone wants to revisit how they use the internet following MNHQ's announcement about cookies and consent.
Hopefully someone with more in-depth tech knowledge than I will be able to expand on the advantages of browsers like this and/or suggest alternatives and other tips. We can all do so much more to protect our privacy/personal data.
Remember, if you're not paying, your data is the product! Which is OK to a point, but on a site where the users create the content and the raison d'etre of the site, it's not unreasonable to challenge things...
Edited for typos.